Crashes, cobbles and crosswinds mark first nine stages
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BMC on the top step of the podium after their win in the team time trial(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Etixx Quickstep help Tony Martin to the line(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Zdeněk Štybar attacks for the win on stage 6(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Daniel Teklehaimanot makes history on stage 6(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Andre Greipel takes his second stage of the race(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Benoït Vaugrenard hits the deck(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Tony Martin (Etixx QuickStep) in yelow at the Tour de France(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Etixx QuickStep ride in support of race leader Tony Martin on stage 5(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Julien Vermote (Etixx Quickstep) is held up in a crash(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Nacer Bouhanni and half his Cofidis team fall on stage 5(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Chris Froome defends his yellow jersey(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) attacks his rivals on stage 4(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) pushes the pace(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Tony Martin (Etixx QuickStep) pulls on yellow(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Sep Vanmarcke leads the peloton on stage 4(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Tony Martin crashes out of the Tour de France in yellow(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Zdeněk Štybar had the moves on stage 6(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Chris Froome (Team Sky)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Chris Froome leads Team Sky(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Chris Froome leads Team Sky(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Astana lost time to all their rivals in the team time trial(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Cannondale Garmin in action during the team time trial(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Orica GreenEdge survived the team time trial(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
IAM Cycling in team time trial mode(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Alexis Vuillermoz and Johan Vansummeren embrace after the Frenchman won stage 8 at the Tour de France(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Alexis Vuillermoz heads to the line on stage 8(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Chris Froome checks on his rivals(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Man in the mirror: Luca Paolini tested positive for cocaine at the Tour de France(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Mark Cavendish (Etixx-QuickStep) finally takes his Tour de France stage (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Viewing figures are up at this year's Tour de France(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
The 2015 Tour de France(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Classics riders and GC contenders mix it up on the cobbles(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Chris Froome follow John Degenkolb through a corner(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Etixx Quicktep rejoice after their stage win on the cobbles(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Driving rain saw the peloton split into echelons(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Nibali was forced to chase but ended up losing time on stage 2(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Andre Greipel (Lotto Soudal) came out on top in stage 2(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Rohan Dennis was out of yellow after just a day(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Peter Sagan and Andre Greipel clash in stage 2(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
A rider comes out from a tunnel during the opening time trial(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Alberto Contador (Tinkoff - Saxo) starts his Tour de France(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Chris Froome (Team Sky)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
The conditions were perfect for the crowds in Utrecht(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
A BMC ride during the opening time trial of the Tour de France(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Huge crowds turned out in Utrecht for the start of the Tour de France(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Rohan Dennis became the first yellow jersey of the race(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Tony Martin (Etixx QuickStep)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Cross winds split the peloton on stage 2 to Zelande(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Fabian Cancellara (Trek Factor Racing) moved into yellow at the end of stage 2(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) is forced on the defensive after missing the split on stage 2(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Tony Martin (Etixx QuickStep) wins the cobbled stage (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Chris Froome has his teammates to keep him out of trouble(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Simon Gerrans is forced out of the race with a broken wrist(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Tom Dumoulin (Giant Alpecin) crashed out of the Tour de France on stage 3(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Fabian Cancellara (Trek Factory Racing) back on his feet but his Tour was almost over(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Tejay van Garderen leads Vincenzo Nibali over the line on stage 3(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Alberto Contador (Tinkoff-Saxo) struggles on the Mur(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Chris Froome (Team Sky) in yellow(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) makes his winning move(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Chris Froome leaves his GC rivals behind on the Mur(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) comes out on top on stage 3(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Fabian Cancellara (Trek Factory Racing) rolls to the start of stage 3 at the Tour de France(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Peter Sagan (Tinkoff - Saxo) takes a push after a mechanical(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Peter Sagan take a new rear wheel on stage 2 of the Tour de France(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Utrecht was the backdrop for the first stage of the Tour de France(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Nine stages and the Tour de France reaches its first rest day in Pau. It’s been a rollercoaster race so far with four men in and out of the race lead and the GC complexion of the race taking shape as Chris Froome (Team Sky) assumes the role of race leader.
The race has had it all so far with crashes, cobbles and crosswinds marking the first few stages, while several uphill finishes have split the favourites and thrown up a number of surprises.
